Selous Impala

Elly - February 1st

Our holiday starts today in a special way. To avoid missing our connecting flight in Zürich, we have decided to have stop over, and spent the night at Elly's, Petra's sister who lives nearby. The connection only had 1:10 hour in between and there is only one flight a day to Dar Es Salaam.

It was a good choice and we had a very nice family evening!

To Tanzania - February 2nd

In the morning Elly brings us to Kloten, the International Airport of Zürich. The Dutch (!) ground stewardess checks and confirms our luggage is already on board the plane. As planned, and without any delay, we fly, with a short stop-over in Nairobi, from Zürich to Dar Es Salaam.

After purchasing the visa ($50 pp) we can pass immigration. The luggage arrives shortly after. Outside Samuel is already waiting for us to take us to the Slipway Hotel.

It's too late to have dinner (~11:00 at night), so we decide to go to sleep.

Selous Impala - February 3rd

At 5:45 the alarm wakes us up. A quick shower, grab all our stuff and off we are. It's 06:30, so breakfast isn't prepared yet. We grab some bits that are available and head for the domestic side of the airport. We arrive at 07:00. Why soo early? The plane is scheduled to leave at 08:30 only?!

Due to the late arrival of an international flight, carrying some passengers booked on our plane, we leave even later: 09:15.

On the landing strip in Selous Game Reserve our guide for the week - Gerard - is already waiting for us. A 1.5 hours Game Drive takes us to the Camp. Baboons, Impala, Antelope and Giraffe have been spotted before we arrive.

We are welcomed by Andrea, after which we are taken to our tent: #7, the 'family tent' (2 tents on one platform). Our neighboring tent is empty, hopefully it will stay empty. We have a splendid view on a bend in the river. Buffalo's on the riverbed. Black Faced Vervet Monkeys in the trees around us ... and on our veranda. Woodpeckers everywhere. Etc etc.

Hyena and Elephant - February 4th

The 1st full day of Game Driving has started. Fairly quickly we see the usual suspects. Curious Giraffe, grazing Impala and many Birds. We spend a lot of time looking for Lions, but aren't to be found yet. Gerard heard the laughing a while ago, and now we found them: 4 Spotted Hyena's in the scrubs next to the road in a cooling mud pool.

The Bush Breakfast was delicious, with a great view on the lake/river.

The Elephant tracks Gerard showed several times, but what about the animals making them? We follow the tracks, and the path gets more and more muddy. Too muddy actually. We try another route. Yes!! 17 Elephants. Including a 2-3 weeks old baby. Gerard pushes the Land Rover further and further in the mud so we can see them better.

They are across a small pool and are either being lazy (lying down!) or playing in the water (the baby). What a perfect picture.

Hmmm. I wonder how we will get out of this mud now? Very simply, just push the Land Rover forward, through the bush! Not easy, but it works.

On our way back Petra notice a Jeep standing still and an Hyena with something in its mouth. Yep. It's caught an Impala. A very nice morning. Time for lunch.

Hunting for Lions! Gerard races from spot to spot. Talks to all Jeeps we encounter ('all' ... we encounter 3 all that afternoon). They have heard Lions at the neighboring Camp last night, so they must be close.

Finally we find them. A mom and 3 brothers and a sister. They are part of a local pride that is not often seen. Just when we want to return to the Camp, they get up and start walking. We follow them slowly through the bush. What a day!

// Gerard explains many many things about the Lions, including the fact that the local pride at Impala has very small cubs .... and hence hides well. //

// "Gerard?" "What are those black faced monkeys called?" "That is exactly what they are called .. Black Faced [Vervet] Monkeys". //

Walking Safari - February 5th

Barbara explained it upfront, to avoid disappointment: "If you are lucky you may see something, but a Walking Safari is all about small stuff that you normally don't see when you are in a Jeep".

After some sculls, tracks and poo, we hear something creacking. Oh boy, 4 Giraffe in front of us. Surrounded by a bunch of Impala (small stuff .. right). A little further, bending over some Buffalo droppings Petra all of a sudden says: "Elephants!!".

The Ranger (who accompanied us) arms his riffle and moves in front of us. Gerard directs us backwards, away into the bush - out of the wind. Who expected this. 5 Big Elephants!

We continue the walking safari and see more Giraffe and Antelope. Even a few Warthogs. Wow. "You are soo lucky" Gerard says. And he is very right about that! It's like walking through a Fairy Tale.

Another brilliant Bush Breakfast is waiting for us.

We continue the morning with a Boat Safari. We see 4 Buffalo's (bachelors), Elephants crossing the river and of course Crocodiles and a few King Fishers. When we arrive at Bird Island we see several kinds of Herons. Open Beak Storks. And Darts (kind of Cormorant). On the way back again a crossing group of Elephants. Man, doesn't it stop!

It is getting very hot in the boat (it's the hottest time of the year), hope not to get a sunburn. Back at the Camp: Shower and Lunch. It's noon.

Hunting for Leopard! Jack (the "he" form the English couple that joined us on the Jeep) goes fishing, so it is just the 3 of us. Everybody heads out to look for elusive Leopard. "Exiting news" Gerard says, "The dogs have been spotted!" .. "It's quite far". No problem. Step on it!

En route we see the same Lions again (man, what is mom skinny). And we see Zebra?! We thought they weren't around this time of the year in this part of the park. Yesterday we were at this same place and didn't see any?! Another day is another day it seems. Finally. The African Painted Dogs! "Everybody" is here. Even the Camp Manager Barbara. As well as Lake Manze (as far away as our Camp in opposite direction). 4 - 5 Jeeps in total.

What a pleasant surprise. And are they gorgeous! We are soo lucky to see them again :-)

On our way back Gerard sees a male Hippo out of the water (they graze outside of the water during the night). He spots us and opens his big mouth, showing his big tooth/tasks! And charges! Man ... very exiting (screaming girls on the Jeep).

No Leopard .. but what a fantastic day!

Lake Manze - February 6th

Gerard planned to head in the direction of Lake Manze today to show us a different landscape. Looking left and right off the road we drive Manze direction. All of a sudden an Elephant crosses in front of us, loud trumpeting. "Gerard's favorite animal" so we we try to get a little closer to the herd. Gerard keeps the Jeep out of the wind so we can get close. They are in dens bushes. Incredible how such a huge animal can disappear and appear in and out of it!

Once at Lake Manze we find 3 Lions. Big lads. Three brothers with obviously a full belly.

We have our bush breakfast not to far away from the Lions, where Gerard shows us a little Green Snake.

On our way back we see quite a lot of Vultures. From where they are we think they have been finishing the kill of Wild Dogs we saw yesterday. A little further we notice a few (3) Jeeps. We coming close we see they are watching some Lions. Four brothers and a Lady this time. So pretty to look at :-)

Before we move on we "push start" another Jeep with ours. Not the best spot to have you car break down, at an arms lenght of 5 Lions!

After snapping a few pics of the many Giraffe we see, we are back in the Camp for lunch.

Hunting for Leopard, part II! We are going to give it another try to spot the "Elusive one". Gerard gives it his best, but no Leopard. We do however see a group of beautiful Black and White Colobus Monkeys. They are very beautiful and quite rare. So we are lucky to see them.

Back at the Camp the path to our tent is blocked by the "local Hippo" Andrea. Two Masai and a few pebbles take care of that 'problem'. 

Elephants - February 7th

Today we start slowly. Jack and Zoe left yesterday, so nobody is waiting for us. .... Huh? The front row of the Land Rover is already taken? It's the elderly English couple that just arrived from Ruaha NP (Kwihala Lodge, 2 days of rain and long grass hiding the animals in Ruaha).

Gerard takes a strange turn. Where is he going? And than, we are in the middle of a herd of 30 Elephants! Despite having babies they are very relaxed and stroll just past our Jeep. Man!

After our last delicious bush breakfast at the lake side we hear "Leopard" on the radio. Let see what that's all about.

The Leopard has been seen for 2 sec and has moved on .. . Or has hided well. Another 50 meters further we bump into the next herd of Elephants. It is so nice to see them, again and again. Time to head back to the Camp. The Leopard can wait for this afternoon .... or a next time.

One more try! Gerard has been informed that a Leopard has been spotted close to Manze. It's an hour to get there and we only have from 16:00 to 19:00 this last afternoon. But, of course, we giver it a go. Gerard seems even more enthusiast than us and drives, as fast as he is allowed with guests on board, to the spot. The radio tells us Camp Manager Barbara is going there as well ... little later she overtakes us (man, they are going fast on the dirt road!).

 It doesn't take too much time to find the Leopard's kill, a male Impala. We wait for more than an hour and constantly hear the alarm calls of the birds around us. Gerard is sure the Leopard is here ... but we can't see her/him. We chase another Jeep away, pretending we are watching birds, in the hope the shy animal will show. We stretch it another 15 minutes .. but no, the Leopard doesn't appear. Gerard is even more disappointed than us .. it's been a while they spotted the Leopard. We had a fantastic Safari and will for sure return!

Let's hope Gerard can start his week off tomorrow so he can see his daughter Yvonne, 10 months old only.

Sad Day - February 8th

The day starts wonderfull, despite it is a sad day as we are leaving this wonderfull Selous Game Reserve today. Packing, the last breakfast and the bill (no shock at all!). The tip for the staff dropped in the Tip Box and off we go to the air strip.

The trip there is per boat, a nice twist. When we arrive I notice I still have the envelope with the tip of our waiter (Peter) in my pocket. I hand it over to Moshi, who accompanied us, and ask him to give it to Peter.

The Chessna arrives and off we go ... to Butiama Beach on Mafia Island.